Pumpkins, cider, and color walks: a complete guide to autumn in the Czech Republic

The official first day of fall is September 22, and that means it's prime time to enjoy the fruits of the autumn season (podzim) in the Czech Republic.

Here's how and where to enjoy fall the Czech way as well as experience the more internationally known autumn pleasures of pumpkin patches and corn mazes.

Note that while these destinations were open upon publication of this article, due to the rapidly changing anti-coronavirus measures, we ask that you confirm opening hours before setting out.

Apples mark one of the first signs of fall. In the Czech Republic, there are several popular orchards that offer apple picking.

In Central Bohemia, Bříství in the Nymburk area offers some apple picking and some apples ready-to-buy. They opened up on Aug. 31 and will remain open until they sell out.

The Na Klíčově orchards near Prague will offer apple picking starting on Sept. 20 to 23, though the farm has a number of activities planned during that time for visitors; for more tips for wear to pick fall fruit in Prague see the Na Ovoce map.

If you're looking for a bit of a road trip, Skrbeň near Olomouc has long been a popular choice for apple pickers. The orchard opened up on Sept. 7 and will remain open for people to stop buy and pick apples. Apples will cost 17 CZK per kilo.

In Brno, the orchard Sady Starý Lískovec started offering apple picking on Sept. 4 with gala apples. More varieties will become available as the season progresses.

Zemědělské družstvo Libčany offers self-collection starting on Sept. 14. Picking apples will vary depending on the variety, so be sure to check their website. 

Expect to pay around 5 to 20 CZK for a kilo of apples, depending on the orchard. If you're looking for apples in a certain region, consider picking one from this list.

There are numerous place around the city to get a taste of fresh apple cider, an increasingly popular locally made beverage. These are some of the best makers and where to try theim in Prague:

Dýňová Farma BYKOŠ is located southwest of Prague in the small town of Bykos near Beroun. The farm is open from Sept. 6 to Oct. 31. Here you can take home a pumpkin for carving or decorating purposes and enjoy pumpkin-flavored goodies like pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie and mulled wine.

Furthers afoot Pumpkin World (Statek u Pipků) in the Vysočina region makes for a charming daytrip. The farm has already annouced it will only allow a select number of visitors daily due to coronavirus, so reservations are recommended in advance. Pumpkin World will be from Oct. 2 to Nov. 1 this year.

In addition, various farmers markets across Prague sell pumpkins and the Prague Botanical Garden has not yet cancelled its annual "Pumpkin Fall" festivities, due to being Oct. 16 and run through November.

Kukuřičáky has nine different corn mazes across the Czech Republic for kids and adults alike. The two mazes in Prague are located at Ďáblice and Zahradní Město, or Garden City. In addition, there is another maze located in Kutna Hora. Find a map of all the spots right here, plus opening hours.

Celebrating the fall wine harvest or sampling the Czech Republic’s legendary young wine, burčak, will be a bit trickier this year due to coronravirus restrictions. A few confirmed festivals in Prague include Náplavka Wine Festival (Sept. 27), St. Wenceslas Wine Festival (Sept. 28), and Wine Fest in Prague Market (Oct. 9-10). For an overview of wine and harvest festivals see this handy list from Czech Tourism.

Early October is the best time for relishing the coppers and golds of the Czech autumn. Petřín, Letná, Divoká Šárka, and Stromovka parks will not disappoint those seeking an eyeful of fall foliage, but don't overlook Prague's breathtaking Dendrological Garden or the nearby Průhonice Park with its stunning autumn views from the castle's Gloriette. See our article Top spots for fall foliage in Prague and beyond for more local tips.

Looking for the perfect place to enjoy some beautiful fall foliage and spend some time in nature? The Český kras — or Czech karst, in English — is a vast network of limestone gorges, caves, and forest groves. This beautiful spot becomes a fall wonderland when the autumn leaves color the ancient river valley.

If you're looking to take a hike, start out in the sleepy village of Srbsko, situated on the Berounka River.

From there, you can do a number of pretty hikes:

You'll also find some suggestions for daytrip excursions along The Sázava Pacific Trail, Kralupy to Okoř, and hiking the leafy Kokořínsko reserve in our article 3 fall foliage walks.

What are your favorite autumn traditions in the Czech Republic?